Feedback without action is like a fancy car without gas– it looks good, but it won't get you anywhere. To truly benefit from feedback, you need to listen actively, reflect on the information, and perhaps most importantly, take concrete steps to implement changes.
This willingness to act on feedback or coaching is referred to as accountability in psychology literature, and it’s a key coachability factor measured in our Coachability Quotient (CQ) Assessment.
What is Accountability?
In a feedback, coaching, and development context, accountability is defined as an individual’s tendency to feel a sense of responsibility to act on feedback. An individual with a high level of accountability feels a great commitment to implement the feedback they receive and make positive changes.
Psychologist Amy Edmondson says, “I define accountability as psychological ownership. It’s an internal commitment to do everything you can to uphold standards of excellence and to contribute to achieving the team’s goals.”
On the flip side, people with lower accountability see feedback as optional—merely a suggestion without any obligation to consider and apply the insight.
Why Accountability Matters
According to London & Smither (2002), the higher the accountability, the higher the feedback orientation. In layman’s terms, the more internal pressure one feels to implement feedback, the more open they are to the utility of feedback in general. The individual wants to act on coaching that accelerates growth and improvement, so they are willing to hear it in the first place.
Linderbaum & Levy (2010) reveal two more advantages of accountability.
1. High accountability leads to increased role clarity. Role clarity is a solid understanding of the expectations and processes of one’s job. When someone acts on feedback, they usually get a better idea of exactly what it is they’re supposed to do at work. When we gain this knowledge, we are more likely to improve our outcomes on the job.
2. High accountability drives stronger performance. It makes a lot of sense, doesn’t it? Feedback is great, but simply seeking or receiving feedback is not enough to make change. You can’t improve your performance unless you… perform.
When individuals feel responsible for the coaching they receive, they are more likely to put in the effort needed to actualize the advice and level up.
A Famous Account of Accountability
Someone who shows great accountability to coaching is American track and field athlete Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. McLaughlin-Levrone had a simply astonishing performance at the Paris Olympics. She not only won the gold medal in the women's 400-meter hurdles but also shattered her own world record with a time of 50.37 seconds.
Her performance was absolutely dominant, leaving her competitors far behind. Part of why McLaughlin-Levrone is so untouchable? Her willingness to practice what her coach preaches.
McLaughlin-Levrone’s coach is the famous Bobby Kersee, a USA Track and Field “Legend Coached Award” winner. He’s coached icons like Florence Joyner-Griffith and three-time Olympian (and Kersee’s wife) Jackie Joyner-Kersee.
McLaughlin-Levrone has expressed a deep desire to act on her coach’s feedback. After Kersee pulled her from the 2023 LA Grand Prix to rest, McLaughlin-Levrone released a statement saying that she “regrettably” would not be competing, making it clear it was her coach’s choice.
But, McLaughlin-Levrone also said she trusted Kersee’s judgment and followed through with his advice. She didn’t race and rested her body instead, per Kersee’s feedback.
“We’ve been very calculated in when we run and I think it’s yielded us great results,” McLaughlin-Levrone said.
McLaughlin-Levrone shows strong coachability via accountability here. She hears Kersee’s feedback and feels compelled to act on it.
Clearly, as we saw in Paris, it’s working for her. High levels of accountability have contributed to the Olympian’s wild success.
Accountability and Coachability
At Coachability Consultants, we know that accountability is a key component of being coachable. Why? Because coachability is all about being open to feedback and willing to make changes. If you’re not accountable, you’re less likely to take feedback seriously or act on it.
In the end, accountability is about more than just doing your job—it's about taking ownership, embracing feedback, and striving for continuous improvement. At CCI, we know that fostering a culture of accountability can lead to incredible results. So, let’s all commit to being a little more accountable, a little more coachable, and watch as our workplaces thrive.
Visit us at www.coachabilityconsultants.com to learn more about how we can measure accountability in your organization.
Sources:
Linderbaum, B. A., & Levy, P. E. (2010). The development and validation of the Feedback Orientation Scale (FOS). Journal of Management, 36(6), 1372–1405. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206310373145
London, Manuel & Smither, James. (2002). Feedback orientation, feedback culture, and the longitudinal performance management process. Human Resource Management Review. 12. 81-100. 10.1016/S1053-4822(01)00043-2.
https://www.newsday.com/sports/olympics/2024-olympics-bobby-kersee-mclaughlin-c39694
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